The latest addition to Oryx's "American Political Landscape Series" provides an excellent overview of African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American political involvement. Its format follows Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics, ed. by Schultz, John West, and Iain Maclean (CH, Sept'99), and Encyclopedia of Women in American Politics, ed. by Schultz and Laura van Assendelft (CH, Jun'99). Each of four sections opens with a detailed essay outlining significant aspects of the group's political involvement; Christopher Malone's on African Americans is particularly good. The essays close with detailed bibliographies. A dictionary section follows, covering major individuals, laws, court cases, events, and concepts (such as busing.) Entries range in length from a paragraph to several pages, are well written, and include bibliographies. Appendixes in each chapter include major documents and speeches, directories of politically active groups, and tables listing group members with seats in the US House and Senate. Both volumes close with chronologies of major events and detailed name/subject indexes. The work is most useful because it pulls together information from a range of sources (e.g., The Asian American Almanac, ed. by Susan Gall and Irene Natividad, CH, Dec'95; Arlene Hirschfelder and Martha Kreipe de Monta~no's Native American Almanac, CH, Apr'94; and Nicolas Kanellos's Hispanic American Almanac, CH, Jul'93.) Especially valuable for general readers and undergraduates, including technical program students. S. L. Hupp; Urbana University

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.Review by Library Journal Review

This set is a welcome addition to the reference literature because it addresses important topics that are generally neglected. Its flaws, minor enough that they could be easily redressed in the next edition, include overemphasis on contemporary figures and events without history or context; superficial entries (e.g., failing to convey the significance of Thurgood Marshall, describing "cultural pluralism" as "recognizing that each race has its own culture," or citing only a newspaper op-ed in a bibliography; and empirical as well as normative assertions that are not well supported. Distinct sections cover African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans but without coordination (the role of political parties, for example, is discussed for African Americans in extensive essays that are among the best entries but not for other groups). An interesting comparative time line, excerpts from original sources, and directories of community groups are all included. Schultz also edited Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics. For academic libraries.--Frank H. Wu, Howard Univ. Law Sch., Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.